Rail-joint.



No. 798,890. PATBNTED SEPT. 5, 1905.

H. E. EASTERDAY. RAIL JOINT.

7 al// lg the web, and i the thread.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1995-.

Application filed June 23, 1905. Serial No. 266,602.

To n77 whom it nt/ry (mt/WW:

Be it known that I, HARRY It. EAS'IERDAY, a citizen of the United States. residing at Albert, in the county of Tucker and State of'IVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints. of which the following is a specification. 7

This invention relates to means for joining the meeting ends of rails; and the invention particularly embodies a special construction of rail whereby the same may be interlocked with an adjacent rail to aflord a substantial and rigid connection therewith and at the same time to allow of longitudinal expansion and contraction of the rails by heat and cold.

In carrying out the invention the ends of the rails are so formed as to afford the interlocking feature above mentioned and the necessity of fish-plates, bolts, or like parts is obviated.

W'hile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the rails interlocked together as in actual use in my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view looking from beneath. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line III III, Fig. 1. Fig. & is a perspective view, taken from below, of the expansible longitudinal projections on the upper projection of the rail and one of the wedges to [it in one of said expansible longitudinal projections. Fig. 5 embodies a sectional view of a modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawings more specifically, 1 designates the rails; 2, the base thereof; 3,

In the present invention one end of the rail is cut away longitudinally for some distance at approximately the middle of the web 3, including the lower portion of said web and the base 2. Extending downwardly from the projection now formed at the end of the rail are one or more longitudinal projections 5, which are grooved or slotted at their lower extremities to admit of wedges 6. The opposite end of the rail 1 is cut away in a manner just the reverse of the first-mentioned cut-away portion in order that it may tit neatly and accurately onto said first-mentioned cut-away portion, as shown in Fig. 1. The projection now formed at this end of the rail contains slots or apertures 'T for the purpose of receiving the projections 5, said slots 7 being somewhat greater in length than the projections 5 to permit of Iongitudinal contraction or expansion of the rail. The wedges 6 are grooved at their heads for the purposeof being held in place by a rod or bar 8 of any preferred material. Said rod or bar 8 extends beneath the series of wedges 6, parallel with the rail, and rests upon or into the ties on either side of the joint.

It will be seen from tl'iedrawings and from the above specific description that in the assembling of the rails the projections 5 fit snugly at their sides into the slots 7. The wedges 6 are then driven into the grooves in said projections 5 from beneath, causing the expansion of said projections and the consequent locking of the rails. The rod or bar 8 is then placed beneath the wedges 6 for the purpose of keeping them in place.

Because of the fact that the ends of rails by the use of the presentinvention tit so securely,

caused chiefly by the nature and construction of the expansible longitudinal projection 5, it can readily be seen that in use upon electrical roads or upon roads \vhere electricity is the means of propulsion there is absolutely no necessity for bonding or copper or other kinds of wires or plates for the passage from one rail to another of the current.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 is the construction as generally used in connection with mine-car rails and rails used on other similar small traction-lines.

Having thus described the invention, thefollowing is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a rail-joint, the combination of adjacent rails, a projection extending from the end of one rail, formed of the thread and a portion of the web of the rail, a projection extending from the end of the other rail formed of a portion of the web and the base of the rail, male and female portions formed respectively in each of said projections, and wedges for securing said male portions within said female portions.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination of adja cent cooperating rails, a projecting member extending from and forming part of one rail, adapted to lit snugly over a projecting member extending from and forming part of the lower portion of the other rail, projections depending from the first-mentioned projecting member adapted to fit within slots within the for holding said Wedges in place, substantially IO as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two wltnesses.

HARRY E. EASTERDAY.

Witnesses:

J NO. R. ADAMS, EDWIN S. OLARKsoN. 

